Row as ’65 war hero Hamid’s name erased from UP school gate

Family members of Param Vir Chakra awardee Abdul Hamid have expressed strong displeasure over the removal of the war hero’s name from the main gate of a primary school in Ghazipur where he once studied.

After recent paint work, the school in Dhamupur village in the district was renamed ‘PM Shri Composite School’, according to officials. Jameel Ahmed, the grandson of Hamid, said the school was repainted four days ago. ‘PM Shri Composite School’ was painted at the entrance, replacing ‘Shaheed Hamid Vidyalaya’, he added.

When Ahmed and his family raised an objection with headmaster Ajay Kushwaha, he directed them to approach Basic Education Officer Hemant Rao. The family members said Rao informed them Hamid’s name had been painted on one of the school’s external walls. However, the entrance remained unchanged, the family claimed. They filed another complaint on Saturday. While Rao assured it would be done “immediately”, Ahmed claimed that the name was still not displayed at the entrance, as of Monday, leaving the family “deeply hurt”. During the 1965 India-Pakistan war, Hamid, displaying extraordinary bravery, destroyed three Patton tanks, forcing the enemy to retreat.

Rao said, “The name would soon be reinstated at the school’s main entrance.”